Funeral insurance is one of the oldest types of insurance around. In fact many of the world’s great insurance companies got their start peddling burial policies to the working class. During the 19th Century insurance salesmen would literally knock on the doors of working class families and collect dimes to cover the burial policy premium.

Today, the methods of payment have changed but the basic idea is the same. To make sure that your surviving family members don’t end up in the poor house in an attempt to give your corpse a decent burial.

Yet many people wonder if funeral insurance is a good idea, especially at a time when almost every man, woman and child in the civilized world has some sort of life insurance. Actually a good case can be made for and against funeral insurance.

The main argument for funeral or burial coverage is a pretty simple one. The cost of funerals and burials is constantly increasing and you don’t want to leave that cost to your loved ones.

Back in 2011, the National Funeral Directors Association estimated the cost of the average funeral at $6,590. Okay that figure’s probably optimistic because it is for a basic no frills funeral as anybody who’s ever been near a funeral home knows there is no such thing as a simple funeral. Nor does it necessarily cover the cost of the grave or cremation and the tombstone or monument.

Funeral insurance can cover the cost and burial cost can ensure your body gets a good final resting place. More importantly it leaves loved ones with one less hassle.

The other big reason for funeral insurance is that it can ensure that you have the funeral you want. You don’t have to worry about your heirs cremating you and selling your burial plot to pay the taxes. Nor do you have to worry about a no frills service.